Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

By Phuoc Tuan   July 18, 2022 | 05:07 pm PT
Works to serve residents who have been relocated to build Long Thanh airport remain unfinished due to building material price hikes.
Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

Spreading across 280 hectares, Loc An – Binh Son resettlement area that lies seven kilometers from Long Thanh International Airport is the new home of more than 4,300 families in Dong Nai Province, neighboring Ho Chi Minh City.

Costing VND227 billion ($9.7 million), the project broke ground in 2021 and so far, only houses have been completed while many other public works remain undone.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

A secondary school stands half-finished.

It is one of nine incomplete public works at the resettlement area.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

Steel bundles have rusted after being left outdoor for months.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

Items that will form part of the secondary school's gate.

An unnamed project manager said the strong increase of building material prices have caused the contractor to stop working on several projects at the resettlement area.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

An unfinished kindergarten 800 meters from the secondary school.

Workers said they have stopped building the kindergarten since the beginning of this year after the contractor failed to pay them.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

The kindergarten is 80 percent complete.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

A rusted window frame.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

Next to the kindergarten is a primary school project.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

Heavy equipment lie untouched near the planned primary school.

With the three schools left undone, relocated parents have to continue sending their kids to their former schools, said Le Van Tiep, chairman of Long Thanh District of Dong Nai.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

This building will become a cultural center once completed.

However, for months now, it has been treated as a landfill.

"We moved in over a year ago but the center is still nowhere near the finish line," said an unnamed resident.

Resettlement project of Vietnam's biggest airport to-be left abandoned

People take advantage of abandoned projects to nap.

The investor, Dong Nai Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board, said the contract signed with the contractor has yet to be extended and therefore, funds have not been allocated to continue work.

Costing an estimated $16 billion, Long Thanh airport will replace HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport as Vietnam’s biggest once complete.

Work on the airport began on Jan. 5 last year after many years of preparations and lengthy land acquisitions.

As scheduled, the airport's first phase would be put into use in 2025.

 
 
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